Locally, flu taking a toll among two groups of people

As flu cases rise along the Emerald Coast, local public health officials are urging pregnant women to get vaccinated.

KARI C. BARLOW / Daily News

As flu cases rise along the Emerald Coast, local public health officials are urging pregnant women to get vaccinated.

The warning follows the federal government’s recent announcement that Medicaid will cover flu shots for pregnant women 21 and older through March 31.

“In Florida we have seen more pregnant women being hospitalized with severe complications from influenza,” said Dr. Karen Chapman, director of the Okaloosa County Health Department.

None of the pregnant women hospitalized in Florida with the flu had received the vaccination.

H1N1, which is the dominant flu strain circulating this season, has proven to be more aggressive among pregnant women and young and middle-aged people under 65.

“For those groups, it’s not too late to get a flu shot,” Chapman said. “We’re just coming into the beginning of our peak season.”

According to county and state officials, flu activity is mild in Santa Rosa and Walton counties but has increased to moderate in Okaloosa County.

WANT MORE DETAILS? The Okaloosa County Health Department has a limited number of influenza vaccines available for pregnant women who are uninsured or on Medicaid. For more information, call 833-9240. Vaccinations are administered during the following times: